By Olasunkanmi Akoni

LAGOS – The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie,  has decried the manner politicians are going about their campaigns ahead of the April  elections. He said they  had  continued to wash their dirty linens in flowing river, which was inimical to survival of democracy in the country.

Okogie, however, endorsed more women participation in politics, saying they had made significant contributions to national development as exemplified by those who served under former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Okogie made the remarks after he blessed and inaugurated the multi- million naira ultra-modern junior school building of Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, yesterday, being overseen by the Our Lady of Apostles reverend sisters.

He described politicians  as unserious and uncommitted to promises they made to the public, that campaigns would be peaceful.

“Our politicians are not serious and only make us to continue to wallow in our dirt by their campaigns across the country.

“Most of them said before now that they wanted credible, free and fair elections and campaigns but what we have now are ‘people  killing and maiming themselves and using  various  explosives to  dislodge their opponents.”

Okogie wondered why such should be the order of the day, adding that “when they (politicians) get there (office), they will do nothing to better the lots of the masses. They are only fighting for themselves while God is fighting for us.”

“Those who had served as ministers, commissioners  or in other capacities, should  have relied on their performance if they had done anything meaningful, instead of embarking on dirty campaigns,” he said.

The cleric noted that most of those who corruptly amassed the nation’s wealth, years back,  were no where to be found today and implored those doing so now, to learn from people’s past mistakes.